Steam-trap.



J. H. HEDMARK.

STEAM TRAP.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.12,1912.

1,095,159. v Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

CDLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAsHlNu'r0N. D. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. HEDMARK, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-TRA-R incenso.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apu-28,1914.

Application filed January 12, 1912. Serial No. 670,803.

Although it may be adapted for variousA purposes it is particularly applicable to steam heating systems, and is preferably used in connection with radiators for remaintain a partial vacuum within its floatv chamber under other conditions; and in general to provide an improved form of trap or fitting which will also have such other advantages as will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 illustrates a radiator with my improved trap shown ap-l plied to its return side; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the trap; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of F ig. 2, with parts broken away for convenience in illustration; and Fig. 4v is a vertical sectional view showing a slightly modified form of construction.

As indicated in these drawings, 5 represents a radiator or other portion of a steam system from which the water is to be drained. This radiator is connected by means of a short connection 6 with the steam trap 7, from which the return pipe 8 leads to the boiler or to a pump or vacuum producing apparatus. The trap or regulating device 7 comprises a substantially cylindrical body portion 9, having at one side an inlet pipe or connection 10 which is engaged by the nipple 6. The inlet does not open directly into the side of the receptacle 9 but connects with a channel or passageway 11, which extends downwardly to the bottom of the inner chamber 12. The body 9 is provided with a downward projection 13 to receive the outlet pipe 8. A plug 14 is screwed into the upper part of the opening through the projection 13 and is provided with an upwardly extending pipe or tube 15 which passes u through the center of the chamber 12. ie plug 14.- is also providedV with one or more holes 16 for communication between the chamber 12 and the outlet pipe 8. A float 17 fits freely over the tube 15 so that it may move up and down upon the same, this float being provided at the bottom with a ring or disk 18 adapted to lit closely over the upper ends of the holes 16 to make a substantially tight closure. The device is completed by means of a cap 19 which screws into the upper end of the body 9, this opening being suliiciently large to admit the insertion of the plug 14: and also the loat 17. The cap 19 preferably extends upward some distance beyond the body portion and is provided at the center with a hole 20 which lits freely over the upper end of the pipe 15, but preferably lits sufficiently close so as to prevent particles of sediment or grease from passing up into the upper end of the tube. The hole through the tube 15 is comparatively small so that it may allow for the leakage of air but will prevent the escape of any considerable quantity of steam. Steam heating systems with which this device may be most satisfactorily used may be roughly divided into vacuum systems and vapor systems. In the former class pumps or equivalent exhausting devices are used in connection with the return pipes for drawing out the air from the radiators and for returning the water to the boiler. In the latter system the return pipes lead directly to the boiler, but the pressure in the system is rarely raised to more than one pound.

The operation of my improved trap as above described when used in connect-ion with the vacuum system is as follows: When steam first begins to enter the radiator, the air therein will be driven into the trap and will be drawn out through the tube 15 by means of the exhausting apparatus. As soon as steam begins to enter the radiator and condense therein, the water of condensation will ow down into the bottom of the chamberV 12 until it covers the lower edge 21 of the wall forming the inner portion of the passageway 11 and will continue to rise until ing the ring or closure 18 oil" from the holes 16 and allowing the water to escape until it is lowered a suiiicient amount so that the float again falls and the holes 16 are again closed. It will be noted that an important feature of this operation consists in the forming vof a partial vacuum in the chamber 12 so that the float will be free to rise and will not be held down by suction against the plug 14. The tube 15 is preferably made sufficiently long so that it will extend some distance above the height towhich the water will normally rise in the trap so that the grease or sediment will not be apt to be ldeposited around the upper epd of the tube and will not be apt to enter the tube.

Ilhe action of my improved device in a vapor system is quite similar to that above described, but of course there would be no suction or partial vacuum produced in the return pipes in the manner above described. In a vapor system, when the steam first enters the radiator, air will gradually pass out through the tube 15 and then as the steam condenses, water will flow into the trap until it reaches a sufficient height to raise the iioat when the lat-ter will rise and permit the escape of water. It will be noted that in this instance, the necessity or desirability of A trapping the chamber 12 from the intake pipe 10 in order to form a partial vacuum in the chamber and in order to prevent the vacuum pump or apparatus from drawing steam through the trap is not essential. For

such systems the downwardly extending passageway 1l or the division wall between the l inlet opening and the inner chamber may be dispensed with as shown in Fig. 4. In this instance the inlet 22 opens directly into the side of the casing 23, the other parts being videntically the same as above described.

'Ihe operation will be somewhat similar to that above described, butif the supply to one radiator is shut olf and the radiator is allowed to cool while the others remain in operation,` a small lamount of air or vapor may pass back into the radiator through the pipe 15 as the radiator becomes cool. However, in the first form of the device such return will be prevented to the extent that suiiicient back pressure will be necessary to overcome the seal between the chamber 12 andinlet pipe 10. It will be noted,however, that the hole through the tube 15 is intended to be comparatively small and will only permit the passage of a small quantity of air or vapor.

Thilo I have described my improved trap or relief device in connection with steam heating systems it may also be adapted for other purposes and I do not wish to be limited to this particular use of the same, neither do I wish to be limited to the exact form shown and described, except in so far as pointed out in the following claims in whieh- I claim:

1. In a steam trap or the like, the combination of a casing having a suitable inlet and having an outlet in the bottom thereof, a plug fitting in said outlet, said plug being provided with one or more holes therethrough, a tube extending upwardly from said plug to the top of the casing, the plug having a hole forming a continuation of the hole through the tube, a float slidably mounted on said tube, a closure at the bottom of said float for closing said holes and a cap for closing the top of said casing, said cap having a recess adapted to receive the upper end of the tube.

2. In a device of' the character set forth, the combination of a casing having an inlet and having an outlet in the bottom thereof, a substantially fiat seat in the bottom of said casing, a tube extending upwardly from said seat, the hole through said tube commu nieating with the outlet, said seat having one or more holes adjacent to the tube, a float slidably mounted on said tube, a closure at the bottom of said iioat for closing said hole or holes in the seat, and a cap for closing the top of said easing.

3. In a steam trap or water return device, the combination of a chamber having an inlet passageway leading to the bottom thereof and adapted to be seated by water, a plug fitting in an opening at the bottom of said chamber, holes through said plug, a ring fitting over said holes and adapted to close the same, a tube extending upwardly from said plug said tube and plug being provided with an opening leading from the top of the chamber to the outlet thereof, a float slidably mounted on said tube and connected with said ring, and a cap for said casing having a recess therein fitting freely over the upper end of said tube.

4. In a steam trap, the combination of a casing having an inlet aperture at one side thereof, and an outlet aperture in the bottom, a plug having a fiat upper surface iitting in said outlet apertmfe and having an upwardly extending tube with an air passageWay therethrough said passageway also extending downwardly through the plug and communicating With the outlet of the casing, a Cap for said casing, having an opening for receiving the upper end of said tube, the Walls around said opening extending down over the tube, said plug also having one or more vertical holes arranged adjacent to said tube, a float slidably mounted 10 on said tube, and a closure having a fiat closing surface at the bottom of said float for closing said holes when the oat is at its lowermost position.

JOSEPH H. HEDMARK. Witnesses:

IRENE FoRREsT, ROBERT B. THORNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

